Joyful Learning

Cold Spring School challenges children to become self-reliant, curious, and resourceful problem solvers with the academic and social skills to engage constructively and ethically in our diverse, changing world.

Cold Spring School is a progressive, independent school that welcomes children from diverse backgrounds in multi-grade classrooms from preschool to sixth grade. Small by design, Cold Spring serves 142 students. Learn more about our educational program and community.

We have designed our admissions process with the aim of providing information about our program in a thorough, intentional, yet relaxed way. Learn more and take the first step by clicking the button below.

We are an inclusive school that values participation in learning, family and community. There are many ways to support our mission and help sustain the vision established by our founders over 35 years ago. Learn more about the impact of your generosity.

Progressive Education at Cold Spring

We believe that children learn best through active, experiential learning – a philosophy influenced by the ideas of educational theorist John Dewey and the Progressive Movement at the turn of the century and underscored by research.

We encourage children to be fully involved in the exploration of questions, ideas, and concepts. With an emphasis on inquiry, deep thinking, and problem solving, children have multiple opportunities to explore and demonstrate understanding of concepts, both independently and collaboratively, in our classrooms. Informed by child development, we consider how a child grows intellectually, emotionally, socially, physically,

ethically, and creatively. Cold Spring educators respond to the needs of the whole child, understanding that children’s emotional lives are inseparable from their learning. We foster a lifelong love of learning and emphasize empathy, respect, and compassion so that children can act now, and in the future, as engaged community members and citizens of the world.

We encourage children to be fully involved in the exploration of questions, ideas, and concepts. With an emphasis on inquiry, deep thinking, and problem solving, children have multiple opportunities to explore and demonstrate understanding of concepts, both independently and collaboratively, in our classrooms.

Informed by child development, we consider how a child grows intellectually, emotionally, socially, physically, ethically, and creatively. Cold Spring educators respond to the needs of the whole child, understanding that children’s emotional lives are inseparable from their learning. We foster a lifelong love of learning and emphasize empathy, respect, and compassion so that children can act now, and in the future, as engaged community members and citizens of the world.

Here’s what’s coming up at Cold Spring School

Our Commitment to Inclusion

Diversity is at the core of Cold Spring School’s values, educational philosophy, and mission. With families from across the city, surrounding towns, and around the globe, we are committed to fostering a more interwoven, equitable, and peaceful world by teaching, modeling, and acting with openness, curiosity, reflection, and justice.

At this moment, we wish to reaffirm Cold Spring School’s deep commitment to creating and holding a space in which each of our children and families is known, embraced, and safe. Cold Spring invites and, in fact, encourages the participation of children and families of diverse nations, religions, races and ethnicities, gender identities, and sexual orientation. Cold Spring School’s mission is to challenge “children

to become self-reliant, curious, and resourceful problem solvers with the academic and social skills to engage constructively and ethically in our diverse, changing world.” We believe this mission is best fulfilled in a learning community where children feel safe to be themselves and where differences are viewed as rich opportunities for learning and growth.

At this moment, we wish to reaffirm Cold Spring School’s deep commitment to creating and holding a space in which each of our children and families is known, embraced, and safe.

Cold Spring invites and, in fact, encourages the participation of children and families of diverse nations, religions, races and ethnicities, gender identities, and sexual orientation. Cold Spring School’s mission is to challenge “children to become self-reliant, curious, and resourceful problem solvers with the academic and social skills to engage constructively and ethically in our diverse, changing world.” We believe this mission is best fulfilled in a learning community where children feel safe to be themselves and where differences are viewed as rich opportunities for learning and growth.

"I continue to be delighted by Cold Spring School. It is wonderful to be part of an intentionally inclusive community that conceives of childhood as the perfect time to ask and seek answers to BIG questions."

Cold Spring invites and, in fact, encourages the participation of children and families of diverse nations, religions, races and ethnicities, gender identities and sexual orientation. Read our full statement of inclusion.